3X diamonds are an industry term for diamonds that receive an “Excellent” grade for Cut, Polish, and Symmetry on their GIA grading report. GIA does not use this term, but many jewelers do. Does a 3X grade matter? Should you pay more for a 3X diamond?
What is a Triple X Diamond?
3X diamonds are an industry term for round brilliant diamonds that are graded “Excellent” for Cut, Polish, and Symmetry on a GIA grading report. The X is short for “Excellent,” so 3X actually means “triple excellent.”
A diamond’s cut, symmetry and polish grades indicate the quality of the workmanship that went into turning a rough diamond into a finished diamond. All three factors affect how a diamond interacts with light, and they are graded as “Excellent,” “Good,” “Good,” “Fair,” or “Poor” on a GIA diamond grading report.
Many diamond buyers seek out “triple-excellent” diamonds because they want to own a diamond with the best craftsmanship. Top-notch craftsmanship ensures that the diamond has an attractive pattern while emitting the most brilliance and fire.
What does “Excellent” cut mean?
This 0.73 ct diamond has an Excellent cut grade, a J color grade, and a VS1 clarity grade. An Excellent cut helps enhance the diamond’s color.
Cut is the most important factor in diamond quality. Cut determines the diamond’s proportions (depth and facet angles), which in turn affect how light reflects within the diamond. An
“Excellent” cut grade means that the diamond’s cutting parameters fall within a certain range that gives the diamond strong brightness, scintillation and fire, as well as even distribution of light and dark areas (scintillation).
Poorly cut diamonds often have large patches of light or dark color, making the diamond look dull or unattractive.
These three diamonds demonstrate the importance of cut.
Their cut grades, from left to right, are Excellent, Good, and Poor.
What does it mean when symmetry is “excellent”?
This image shows the facets and how they are arranged in a round brilliant diamond. Illustration: Peter Johnston/GIA.
Symmetry refers to the accuracy of a diamond’s shape. It refers to how well the facets are arranged and how consistent the size, shape and proportions of similar facets are. In a diamond with “Excellent” symmetry, all facets should meet at the girdle (the widest part of the diamond).
The tips of the kite-shaped facets on the crown (top of the diamond) should line up with the tips of the wedge-shaped facets on the pavilion (bottom of the diamond). The top, regular octagonal table facets should be centered, while the pavilion facets on the pavilion should meet perfectly at the tip of the diamond. “Excellent” symmetry enhances the way a diamond reflects light, making it look more harmonious.
What does “Excellent” finish mean?
Polish refers to the quality of a diamond’s surface finish or how smoothly the diamond’s surface is polished. A diamond with an “Excellent” polish will not have any visible polish defects when viewed under 10x magnification. Minor surface defects, such as pits and scuff marks, are usually introduced by the polishing wheel during the polishing process and can often be corrected by repolishing. Although small surface defects are usually invisible to the naked eye, many of them can reduce a diamond’s brilliance and sparkle.
Think of a diamond’s facets as mirrors. The smoother the surface, the more perfect the reflection. The diamond uses these mirrors (facets) to focus the light around the viewer. If the diamond has the right proportions and symmetry, these mirrors reflect that light, creating dazzling brilliance, fire and sparkle.View Gallery
Should I just buy 3X diamonds?
A high-quality diamond doesn’t necessarily have to be 3X. While both symmetry and polish contribute to a diamond’s overall cut grade, it doesn’t mean that they both need to be graded “Excellent” for a diamond to have an “Excellent” cut grade. A diamond with a “Good” symmetry or a “Good” polish can also have an “Excellent” cut grade. The difference between a diamond with “Excellent” symmetry and polish and a diamond with “Good” symmetry and polish is only visible under magnification.
Additionally, a 3X cut diamond can appear dark if it has eye-visible inclusions or very strong fluorescence. Grades for cut, polish and symmetry need to be considered in conjunction with other quality factors.
This ring is beautiful even though it doesn’t have a 3X diamond. The center diamond weighs 2.03 carats and has an Excellent cut, Good polish, and Good symmetry. The color is G and the clarity is VS2.
Are 3X diamonds rare?
Thanks to advances in technology and consumer demand, it is now easy to find 3X diamonds. Diamond manufacturers usually cut diamonds to the cut standards set by GIA.
When GIA developed the cut grade for round brilliant diamonds in 2005, it conducted extensive research on attractive diamond sparkle patterns and documented the proportions and cutting parameters that produced these patterns. These cutting parameters were then provided to cutting centers to cut the diamonds. Since then, these proportions and parameters have become widely used standards in the industry. Many companies have machines that automatically cut diamonds to optimal proportions. As a result, 3X diamonds have become more common.
High-quality, well-crafted diamonds are breathtakingly beautiful. This round brilliant diamond weighs 51.71 carats and is graded D Flawless by GIA, with cut, polish, and symmetry grades of “Excellent.”
Can I choose not to purchase 3X Diamonds to save money?
If all other parameters are equal, a diamond with an Excellent cut grade and Good polish and symmetry grade will be less expensive than a 3X diamond. The visual difference between them and a 3X diamond is barely noticeable to the naked eye. However, if buyers really want to save money on their diamond purchase , they should also consider choosing a diamond with a lower color, clarity grade, or carat weight, or consider buying a diamond with faint or medium fluorescence . Lowering these requirements can make the price more affordable without necessarily compromising the visual impact of the diamond. Learn how to prioritize the 4Cs and save money on your diamond purchase.
Ultimately, a diamond’s quality must be considered in the context of all factors. The 3X designation is meaningful only if it also has excellent color and clarity grades. 3X diamonds cost slightly more than diamonds with lower cut, polish, and symmetry grades, but for a discerning buyer, the extra money may be worth it. After all, the “3X” designation means that the diamond is of high quality.
